I'll Always Be There For You
by life is struggle
Summary: The Danvers sisters have always been there for one another. Whether they're hurt or sad or lonely, they are always together. Because that's what family's for.


**A/N** Alright, I take a lot of liberties with JL members and locations and general function here. I have not read any DC comics, so I don't know how that works. I am merely using what my imagination is telling me to use for the needs of the story.

Also, I was inspired for this story by what if I never even see you ('cause we're both on a stage) on AO3. Head over there to check it out, if you'd like.

"Popcorn!" exclaimed the enthusiastic voice of one inhabitant of the Danvers household.

As if to prove her point, Alex Danvers straightened her back and glared forcibly at the machine, until she heard the initial poofing and the consequent rapid popping, like sharpened pencil noses were hitting a blackboard in high speed choosing to turn into bursting ballons right after the impact.

Alex's shoulders fell in relaxation at the next pencil impact which assured her that the contraption was still working and her father's tinkering had indeed fixed the wiring.

A giant grin covered her face as she rushed to take a seat at the kitchen island, crossing her arms on the smooth cold marble and positioning her head on them.

Squinting her eyes, she proceeded to stare at the machine as if daring it to break down again.

A loud pop was her only answer, followed by a slight…whimpering.

Her eyebrow raised, quite possibly of its own accord, especially given that popcorn makers definitely weren't meant to sound like a puppy that was just kicked out on the street by its owner.

Raising from her seat and certain the machine was not to blame, she noted a slight shaking form under the island from the corner of her left eye.

Turning around, her eyes rested on the trembling form of the younger girl.

Arms around her knees and head bowed between her legs, Kara was locked in a fierce embrace with herself, soft but distinct gulps of air coming and going in her lungs.

Alex's mind registered that the louder the popping in the background, the larger these gulps seemed. Until that small but poignant complaining noise reached Alex's ears and finally forced her legs to bend, leading her to crouch at Kara's level.

"Kara?" she uttered tentatively, reaching forward to rub the arm of the shaking young girl.

A hiccup came from Kara in place of a reply, causing Alex's eyebrows to frown in worry.

"Kara? What's wrong?" Alex kneeled in front of her new sister, trying to see if any hues of blood could be seen anywhere on Kara's body before mentally berating herself for forgetting about Kara's self-healing ability.

Taking a deep breath, Alex sat next to the trembling girl and reached a hand out to smooth hair, softly caressing it.

A popping noise. A tremble and a sharp breath. And a light caress, a light pressure. An anchor to reality.

"A-Alex?" sniffed Kara, raising her head slightly and breathing in quickly.

"Yeah?" Alex replied whispering, careful to continue the soothing motion as she took in the tears slipping from Kara's eyes.

"It-It's too loud," whispered Kara, turning to look at her, blue meeting green.

Alex's hand stopped its motion, her mouth slightly open. A small gasp left her chest as she shook her head at her not thinking about this.

She rose to her feet and turned off the machine. The persistent popping ceased. The background mechanic noise silenced and the air filled with Kara's still sharp breath intakes.

Alex walked back to her, took her previous position and refocused on stroking Kara's hair.

Counting the numbers mentally, Alex stifled a sigh of relief as Kara's breath returned to normal rates.

A while later, Kara's head shifted as she turned to face Alex.

"Thank you," she murmured. "I'm really sorry. I know you were so excited for popcorn. It's just-

"Hey," Alex reached and took her sister's hands in hers.

"I get it," she promised, nodding at the hesitant younger girl.

"I do. It's all new. And this is overwhelming. But you shouldn't be sorry for being scared," she explained.

"Do you know what mom says is the best way to face fear?" asked Alex hurriedly as Kara started lowering her head and closing in.

The Kryptonian girl sniffed and shook her head.

"To not be alone. If you know someone is with you, it gets easier," Alex smiled hopefully.

A couple of heartbeats passed before the barely intelligible whisper that almost broke Alex's heart.

"I know. But I have no one. Not anymore."

In that moment all of Alex's being screamed at her, every breath in her wanted to give a breath to Kara. If only to lighten the pain of Kara's lungs.

She squeezed Kara's hands and whispered: "Look at me."

Green met blue.

"I am your sister. And I promise you. You'll never be alone anymore. Not if I have anything to say about it."

And the light in her sister's small hopeful smile made Alex want to keep her promise even more, as she tugged Kara in her arms and sat there with her, whispering stupid jokes to make her laugh.

"Uhm…Alex?"

A grunt and the pressing of the remote to increase the volume of the television was the only reply Kara received.

She had waken up excited to finish another tedious day in high school, spending hour after hour looking out of the window at the road that would get her home. Finally, the bell took pity on her and she ran out of class and closer to the moment she would see her sister, who had returned from college for the holidays.

Needless to say this picture is definitely not what she had in mind.

The windows were closed and the curtains drawn to stifle even the miniscule light of the winter sun in the living room.

Alex was sprawled on the couch, a thin blanket over her legs and an empty carton of what looked like cookie dough ice cream on the coffee table.

Deciding to proceed with extreme caution at the sight of her distraught sister, Kara placed her bag next to the door and walked over to her.

Alex didn't even react to her sister's presence, which made matters worse. Usually when she was upset, she would beg Kara to get her takeout from that place in Chicago (which if Eliza found out about they were both goners) and they would sit on the floor eating and sharing their frustration with the situation. Because naturally, everything that upset Alex, upset Kara.

The younger Danvers evaluated the situation as an Alex emergency and glanced at the intrusive sound of the television.

A cooking show. The situation was even direr than she expected.

She carefully sat down on the couch next to Alex, who continued to stare at the burnt chocolate cake on the screen.

The younger girl ventured further and made herself comfortable in the plush pillows, resigned to hearing the whines of the contestant as the resident strict/mean judge was chewing him and spitting him out, like his burned dessert.

It wasn't until she felt Alex's head on her shoulder that she realized she lost herself in a trance of watching another contestant trying to salvage the ruins of his strawberry cheesecake.

She sought out Alex's right hand with her own and laced their fingers together, attention thankfully diverted but still staring at the screen.

"My life is a mess."

The confession was so quiet and the television so loud that had it not been for her super-hearing, Kara would have missed it.

The next thing she registered, however, was Alex's rapidly increasing heartbeat and the appearance of a couple rivulets of tears on her sister's cheeks.

Kara quickly turned off the sound and focused all of her attention on her sister, moving forward and hugging her, letting her cry it out.

A few sniffs alerted Kara to the sobbing being over and she pulled back to see Alex wiping her eyes.

She reached out to place some loose hair behind her sister's ear as they settled facing each other.

"Alex, what happened?"

"I broke up with Dean."

Silence. Kara had definitely not expected that. Dean was Alex's first college boyfriend and as far as her sister had told her he was smart and really funny. And he made Alex get that dreamy look on her face.

The moment Kara opened her mouth to ask, Alex blurted out: "He cheated on me. With his chemistry lab partner."

Kara guessed her eyes must have looked wide as saucers because Alex broke out in a hint of a smile before receding to her sadness.

"Hey," Kara reached forward and held her sister's hand.

"His loss. Seriously, Alex. He can't see how incredibly smart and beautiful you are? His. Loss. You can find a million times better than a cheating asshole."

Alex's head snapped at the expletive, not used to hearing her sister swear.

However, Kara grew more worried as she watched her remain silent.

"Is there- Is there something else?"

Seeing Alex struggle for an answer, she hurriedly continued,

"Because you know you can tell me anything. I won't blab. I mean, yeah it's hard for me to keep things from Eliza because she just looks all disappointed in me, but I would never tell her anything personal if you don't want me to and-

"I know, Kara. I trust you. And I know you've never told anyone anything when I told you not to," Alex quickly assured her.

"It's just…" she shook her head. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, before finally puffing out a breath and sagging her shoulders, looking at their joined hands.

"Why was I not enough?"

It felt like a knife plunging in Kara's heart. Not enough?

"Not enough? Alex, Alex look at me," she urged fervently.

"Alex Danvers. You are my favourite person on this entire planet. No. Scratch that. The entire universe. You are brilliant and kind and brave. You got into a top notch university. You protected me from bullies that mocked me about my glasses and my clothes all through middle school _and_ punched that idiot who kept asking me out and wouldn't take no for an answer. You, Alex, are beautiful. And anyone who doesn't realize that? It's not that you're not enough. It's that they are not enough to deserve you."

Kara took a huge breath and looked at her sister.

Alex was staring at her, as if trying to figure something out.

"Kara?" she questioned, pursing her lips.

"Yeah?" the younger girl hedged, glancing uncertainly at her sister's face.

"Thank you," Kara looked up surprised, "for being my biggest fan."

Kara surge forward and drew her sister in another hug, Alex letting out a squeal of laughter.

"I love you," she whispered in Alex's ear.

"Me too. And you're right. Thanks for being there for me."

Kara pulled back to look at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Alex. We're sisters. I'll always be there for you," she reminded Alex.

Alex laughed and nodded, "I'm very glad I'm home."

"Speaking of which, we should really clean this up before Eliza gets back and holds the rest of the ice cream we have for dessert hostage."

The moment she steps out of the car, flashes and lights around the scene make Alex feel dizzy.

She has just arrived at the scene-no, battlefield in the middle of National City, responsible for the gathering of forensic evidence and the establishment of initial rebuilding foundation as new head of the DEO.

Needless to say the DEO has not gone public with its existence, so the paparazzi are too busy talking to the FBI agent that has been the arranged spokeswoman.

Ignoring the calls of "Agent!" around her and some approaching microphones, she makes a point of standing straight as she moves under the yellow tape and inspects the ground.

The site is completely leveled, a crater riddled with steaming lava rivulets the only thing left from what once was a quiet, flower-ornate expansion near the city's most busy park.

Approximate circumference… If the sixe of that crater is proportionate to the force of the impact and the force is connected with the mass of the speeding object... An Alagor? One of these weird rhino/alien hybrids?

Alex puts on her gloves and steps into the steaming mess caused by the Justice League, looking for possible remnants of the creature's skin to assemble some sort of sample that could give them an idea of its origins.

What she finds makes her blood turn cold.

In the far side of the crater, away from the lights and the noise, Alex notices a pool. Of wooden splinters, of molten asphalt, and of blood.

The blood is alien. But it's not the one she's been searching for.

Alex knows scientifically that she cannot be certain of the markers, of the type, of the precise quantity.

Then again science has never been able to comfort her when it comes to her little sister. Because regardless of what possible tests can say, Alex knows that is her sister's blood. And it is far. Too. Much.

"Continue the search," is all she manages to order the rest of her forensics team as she scales the pit, throwing the crimson tainted gloves behind her to burn.

The drive is short. The Justice League Headquarters is around 6 miles out of town. She broke the speed limit.

The slam of the car door echoes in the underground parking lot, followed by her running across the floor to the underground clearance level, punching in 0083. Kara's emergency entrance code.

The elevator is there and the floors come and go as it goes up. Up. Up. It dings.

She hears voices a few meters ahead of her, a large red and gold door open.

She remembers Kara describing layout to her with twinkling eyes and excitement. The Headquarters of the League to protect their world.

She makes for the hospital wing, which she knows is past the conference room where the voices must be coming from.

That is until a form blocks her way.

"Uhm, excuse me, but who the heck are you and how did you get in here?" a young woman clad in black and red leather is blocking her way.

Alex hears the voices inside the room stop at the harshness in the woman's voice before a deep male voice is heard.

"Speedy? Something wrong?"

"I think we have an intruder," Speedy eyes her distrustfully, glaring and reaching for the bow on her shoulder.

"Tell Clark I used Kara's emergency entrance code!" Alex yells, making sure whoever is in there can and will hear her.

Chairs scrape and more footsteps are heard as Clark Kent still in his Superman suit leads the rest of the Justice League out of the room and stops a few steps away from Alex, looking at her as if she kicked his puppy.

And Alex has had enough.

"Where is she?" glaring as a wild animal, ready to pounce.

"Alex," Clark puts his hands up trying to calm her. Too late.

"My sister is hurt. I saw the blood. I _know_ it's hers. Either you tell me where she is this instant or I will make you bleed. Kryptonian or not," the coldness in her voice matches the cold grip fear has on her.

She sees Clark flinch and watches as another red leather clad figure steps forward.

"Kara's sister, right?" he tries slowly, but Alex is still done. Why no one can realize that is beyond her.

She lowers her head, takes a deep breath, feeling her whole body flex under the anger. She looks up, ready to tear someone apart when-

"Follow me. She's in medical," the gruff voice is heard from behind the hero commotion.

This time the figure stepping up is still in leather. But it is Green.

He waits a second until she starts walking and then leads her through the rest to medical.

"Oliver, Kara is not in the condition to-

"Her sister is hurt. Try and stop her," Oliver urges, not sparing a second to stop or turn around.

She gets the feeling Oliver lives these words more than others would notice.

If she didn't like any of them before, she likes him now.

Hearing steps behind her she figures some of them have chosen to follow them as they make their way through green, blue, and black doors until transparent glass signals their arrival to medical.

The whoosh of the doors alerts the woman fixing an IV of their presence as she looks up, eyebrows furrowed.

"I thought I told you guys the sun rays treatment won't work more efficiently until we recharge. She needs rest," the brunette chides the team until her eyes fall on Alex.

"This is Alex. She's Kara's sister," Oliver provides as Alex steps forward and approaches her sister's bed.

"I also happen to be a bio-engineer," she says in a small voice, raising her left arm in waiting, trying to not look at the bed yet.

She feels the weight of the vitals chart on her hand, takes a breath, and checks the numbers.

Her legs almost give up on her. Her stomach turns. She wordlessly hands the chart back to the woman and finally rests her eyes on Kara.

She hears the others leave the room.

Now that she's alone, the nausea wins. Her sister's colour is almost gone, her eyes are bruised and so is her chin.

Her sister. The strongest, most vibrant, most excitedly energetic person on Earth is reduced to a sheet-white limp figure on a hospital bed.

Kara has never looked smaller.

" _It-It's too loud, Alex."_

" _It's too bright."_

" _I'm scared."_

Alex breaks. Her legs give in, falling to the floor, her head on her sister's bed. Her hands clinging desperately to white sheets.

Alex sobs. She sobs until her lungs almost give out, breathes and sobs again.

Her friend. Her partner in crime. Her sister.

At some point in between breaths, Alex feels arms encircling her and hears J'onn whispering "It's going to be fine" in her hair and she loses it completely.

She trembles and is afraid and _this_ was never supposed to happen.

Where was she? What was she doing when her sister was almost dying?

"It's not your fault, Alex," J'onn whispers as he tries to coax her into breathing.

Both her and J'onn end up sitting like that for the rest of the night, Alex holding Kara's hand from her place on the floor.

In the morning she figures she must have fallen asleep as she stretches and finds herself in an armchair, a thick blue blanket thrown over her.

She reaches over to take a look at the beeping screen and checking Kara's vitals before sighing at the lack of improvement and settling in the chair, hand linked with her sister's.

She hears voices and the doors opening a few minutes later, the smell of coffee invading her senses.

She turns around to see J'onn and Clark walking over to her.

"Patrol?" she asks in place of good morning, gesturing at his suit.

He nods and extends a coffee cup and a paper bag to her, an apologetic look on his face as he sneaks a glance at Kara's still unmoving form.

Alex looks at her sister and sighs. Peace offering it is.

Clark smiles at her as she accepts the breakfast with a nod and sits down on another chair to let her know what happened as J'onn informs her he sent a message to the DEO on behalf of her, alerting them of their asset bring compromised. Justice League or not, Supergirl still works with the DEO.

Apparently Alex was right about the enormous alien hybrid species, but what no one had predicted was Kryptonite padding on its armor. Kara broke through it first, so she got the hit from it, but she managed to take it out before she passed out completely.

"She will be fine," Alex states, clenching her jaw and staring at her sister.

Clark nods.

They spend the rest of their time waiting for Caitlin Snow, Alex now knows the brunette is called, to come in and take Kara for treatment.

The same rhythm occurs for the next few days, until Kara has escaped all risks and J'onn forces her to go home and change.

She spends her days working out the details to the padding of the species' armor which the League had salvaged, linking it to an element a prisoner from Fort Razz could manipulate and putting a target on that beast's back for all DEO to shoot at.

The rest of her time is focused on Kara.

She sits quietly in the armchair, working on DEO files and sneaking glances at the monitor and her sister every so often.

One day, Speedy comes to find her to apologize for that first meeting. She ends up joining Alex for a few hours before her patrol.

Oliver comes over too. Although he is not too keen on sharing info about his past, his sister is a subject that makes him smile as he exchanges stories of a young Thea hurting her ankle and being carried to the nurse for stories of a young Kara tasting Eliza's pie dessert for the first time.

She also meets Barry Allen. He too comes to check on her and everything Kara has shared about him with Alex is pretty accurate she thinks as she discusses science protocols and novel techniques for sample identification with both him and Caitlin.

And most of all, she waits. She waits for Kara to get some colour on her cheeks again. For that ghostly appearance to be gone. For a twitch of her hand. For fingers seeking Alex's to show her she's alive and to please not be worried.

She's at the DEO when she gets the call.

"Felicity says she won't keep erasing records of you breaking the speed limit," Barry informs her as she steps off the elevator and all but runs to medical.

Clark and J'onn are both in the room, Caitlin checking Kara's vital points.

"She twitched her fingers. I was sitting here, holding her hand," Clark explains as Alex takes a seat and reaches for her sister's hand.

"Kara?"

Nothing.

"Kara? Can you hear me?"

No response.

"Clark, are you sure she-

And then she feels it. Very lightly. But the pressure is there. Her sister's fingers are pressing hers and Alex lets out a sigh of relief as she reaches forward to stroke her hair.

She all but camps into the room because there is no way Kara will wake up without her here. And of course Kara being Kara would decide to wake up in the middle of the night of all times.

Alex feels something squeeze her hand and jolts awake.

Her eyes meet her sister's and for a moment, Alex just breaths a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank God," Alex says moving closer and stroking her sister's cheek. She's full of colour again and even though the energy is not entirely back, Alex can still see her try to speak.

"Hey, hey," she soothes her, "it's alright."

Kara takes a deep breath, "Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Stay?" Blue eyes are boring into her own.

" _I'm scared."_

"Of course. I promised remember?" she smiles at Kara as her younger sibling succumbs to the temptation of sleep and rest.

" _I am your sister. And I promise you. You'll never be alone anymore. Not if I have anything to say about it."_

"…In other news, the Justice League members, youngsters and retired alike are gathering in the League's Headquarters on Earth for the annual League official conference which this year is expected to focus on interplanetary and intergalactic relations to prolong peace and stability. Superman himself stated that it is an important yearly anniversary which reminds every hero of what is worth protecting…"

The large TV continued to drone in the background, a picture of Superman and headlines of his statements changing every so often as JL members and honorary members filled the prodigious space inside the headquarters.

It had been agreed upon years ago that if conference rooms were for business, there had to be a space for people to get together and just talk. Have a good time.

Cisco had suggested a sort of living room/game room. Surprisingly, everyone took to it and the room grew in size and in furniture.

A large TV screen where video games were most often played took up most of one wall, consoles and controllers linked to it abandoned on the floor in favour of the newly arrived pizza boxes that were pilling the table.

The couches were full, retired heroes chatting to each other and telling stories to the youngsters.

Alex shook her head as she observed the situation from her place at the doorframe.

Currently, younger members were enticed by Batman's ongoing struggle to apprehend the Joker, while another corner saw pizza toppings flying on top of heads as Wally West exhibited his newest speed record yet, Barry looking on and chuckling to himself before grabbing a flying slice of extra-sausage pizza and chewing on it delightfully.

Alex scanned the place, searching…

"He's over there," Clark gestured behind her at the group that was sitting on the carpet in front of the giant screen laughing and talking with other young recruits.

Alex turned to Clark and nodded as she wheeled herself in the room.

She received several nods of acknowledgment before Oliver spoke from the centre couch: "Hello, Alex. Grey still looks good on you."

Alex chuckled and shook her head, approaching the group: "You've been saying that for the past ten years. Seems like I'm not the only one that's getting old."

Clark cleared his throat and gave Alex a small smile before addressing one of the boys sitting on the carpet.

"Brand, this is Alex Danvers, former Director of the DEO," he introduced her as the boys green eyes flickered to her quickly and he shifted nervously.

"Brand, relax. I quit the DEO years ago. You see, some things you can definitely get too old for," she poignantly noted turning to Bruce and raising an eyebrow challengingly, getting an eye-roll in return.

She turned to the brown haired boy again, smiling at him kindly and adding: "I was merely interested in your story when I heard about it. Clark told me you had some questions about it as well and since I was in town, I figured I might as well come by if you wanted to ask. I have seen a lot of things these past fifty years."

She watched the boys posture relax as he let out a soft breath and he gave her a nervous smile.

"Yeah, Brand. I mean something might be up here. You could ask," another girl, Sheila, added. The other boys nodded.

Brand, relaxed at not being scrutinized, scratched his head.

"What can you remember, son?" asked the quiet voice of J'onn J'onzz as he quietly took a seat on the couch's arm.

"Well, I told you they discovered my abilities and wanted to use them," Brandon started.

"Luthorcorp asshats. Go figure," mumbled Wally munching angrily on his pizza and making the younger children laugh.

Brandon sighed and nodded before continuing.

"I was running from them, but they had me cornered in one of the alleys. I didn't want to hurt anyone, but I was about to when something hit me from behind…"

Sheila reached to pat his shoulder as he trailed off.

"I thought that was it, you know? But when I woke up I was still in the alley and they were all… gone. Just gone," he shrugged helplessly.

Alex eyed him from her wheelchair, raising an eyebrow, resting her head in her right hand.

"I didn't do it! I mean I can shoot fireballs and ice from my hands, but not make people disappear!" he claimed, eyes widening.

"Relax, Brand. I believe you. I am just wondering what happened," she spoke calmly and gestured for him to go on.

"Well, I think I was dreaming at that point. I was hit pretty hard in the head, but I- I think…"

"Speak your mind, Brand. It is quite alright," the commanding yet soft voice of Diana echoing through the room and overcoming the TV's ever-present noisy background.

"I know this will sound crazy, but I saw a woman," he uttered looking up at Alex.

"She- She was quite young and leaning over me and asked me if I was alright, but I couldn't speak. So she said the guys were gone and to trust help when it came," he added softly.

"What happened next?" Alex inquired, leaning forward in her wheelchair and pushing some grey hair back from her face.

"I fell asleep. Next thing I knew I woke up in medical," Brand shrugged and glanced at Wally who gave him a thumbs up as he was the one who found him.

"Well, if she was young she could be another hero working around," Barry said, sitting up in his chair.

"She was definitely around Wally's age," Brand looked at the thirty five year old who raised an eyebrow.

"Well, we would have heard of her by now then," he added.

"Plus, she looked more like… I mean, I thought I was dreaming, but she was kind of… I don't know. As she turned to leave she looked almost transparent," Brand said, leaning forward and thinking.

As people went on to debate the identity of the woman and whether she was an alien or a vigilante causing the debate to move to why she was not a member of the JL or why she had not been heard of, Alex observed the young man.

Brand Anderson. 13 years old. Parents were war veterans, killed in a raid on what was supposed to be their final tour. Orphaned at 9. Ran away from the assigned orphanage 2 months after arriving there. Street kid. Age of first power usage: eight years. Found hit severely in the head, medically diagnosed concussion. Dirty green sweater, black jeans, and holes in his shoes.

Alex felt a pang in her chest as she looked on. Troubled eyes, stiff jaw, set shoulders. Brand's look reminded her so much of…

He jolted form his thoughts and found her staring at him.

He pursed his lips and moved closer to her.

"I think I remember something else," he whispered.

Alex leaned forward and nodded.

The room started to quiet down as they noticed the exchange and looked on expectantly. It was the first time in a year that Brand was talking about this so openly and all of them were quite curious.

"I am not sure," he hedged, "but I think- I think I asked her who she was."

"And did she reply?" came some eager voices from behind him, the recruits jumping in their seats, only to be silenced by what Alex guessed was a reproachful look from Clark.

"She only gave me a first name. I don't even know if I heard it right because I was drifting off," Brand warned.

Alex felt a wave of anxiety wash over her, her heart beating louder in her ears than ever.

"Tell me, Brand," she asked, staring intently into his eyes.

"She said her name was Kara," he answered.

Stillness. Silence. A glass shattered.

All turned to Barry. His hand was still halfway to his mouth, but lemonade had washed over his shirt. His glass lay broken at his feet.

Alex stared at Brand, who seemed to lose his nerve more and more.

A throat cleared.

"Are you sure, Brand?" Alex never thought she'd hear J'onn sound so… pained.

But then again, pain was seizing her insides, clutching at her heart, breaking it apart piece by piece. Leaving behind a semblance of a human and walking out.

Only to come back and break it again when it was almost back together.

"I mean…" Brand breathed and looked to Alex.

"Surely the boy was dreaming," determined the gruff voice of Bruce Wayne from his corner.

Arms crossed, he looked perfectly poised.

Alex would laugh at how much his walls had given away at a name. If hers hadn't done the same.

"Alex, I'm sure that- " Clark started.

Alex raised a hand to stop him. She sat back and reached in her blouse to draw out a small golden locket in the shape of a heart.

Taking it off, her hands trembling, she cradled it in her palms.

" _We've got it! We have the portal!" Flash._

" _They're coming! Not all of us have time to cross over!" Batman._

" _We'll deal with it! Start going through!" Superman._

The locket's lock popped open, revealing the pictures inside.

" _I can't hold it for longer!" Flash._

" _We still have people crossing!" Batman._

" _I'll hold them. Hold it for five more minutes!" Supergirl._

In the first one, she was 13. It was their family photo. In the other one, she was 20. She was smiling.

" _I can't do this anymore!" Barry._

" _Go!"_

" _But, Kara-_

" _They need you more than me. They need you. Tell Clark I love him and that I'm sorry. And tell Alex-_

 _Communication lost._

" _KARA!"_

Clark's hands reached and took the locket, handing it to Brand.

Alex felt a hand on her shoulder, her vision blurred from the tears.

Everyone remained quiet as Brand inspected the contents of the locket.

He looked at her, questions in his eyes.

"You know her?" he asked, confused.

"Do you?" Clark stepped forward.

"Yeah," Brand licked his lips. "That's her. Kara."

Alex could feel eyes on her. She lowered her head. Her heart started beating faster.

"She died," Diana revealed, "protecting Earth. Thirty five years ago."

"Then he certainly saw her in a dream," Wally spoke up, worriedly glancing at Barry whose silent tears rivaled Alex's.

"Kryptonians are known to have unusual… potential. That is how Jor-El preserved his consciousness in the Fortress," J'onn provided.

Alex's head was about to burst.

"Does that mean she's back?" Bruce questioned J'onn, who shook his head.

"No. She probably has a reason for showing up. Something we don't see. A warning," he provided.

And her world went black.

A persistent beeping sound penetrated Alex's ears, making her grimace and shift her head around.

She was lying on a smooth, soft bed and her eyes met the light purple walls of the individual rooms in the JL's hospital wing.

She left her eyes drift closed for a minute, trying to remember what happened.

The monitor picked up speed.

"The doctor said to avoid stress at all costs," a familiar voice reminder her gently and she re-opened her eyes to see Clark nestled in an armchair on her left.

"She also said she had advised you to remain in bed six months ago and instead of doing that, you get on a plane and come back to National City."

The accusation in his voice is clear, but she does not feel repentance. Her actions were hers to control. Not her sickness's. And absolutely not Superman's.

She stared at him, noting the blue hue of his eyes and flinching at the familiar colour before averting her gaze.

"Alex," Clark whispered, "you're..."

She felt herself nod.

"There was nothing they could do," she offered, if only to put him out of his misery.

"Alex, you have been ignoring doctor's orders, doing what's worst for you. Coming here, instead of lying down and resting, talking to Brand and stressing yourself-

"Don't," she spits out harshly.

"Don't tell me that I want to die. Don't try and make this look like I'm committing suicide. I am dying, Clark. That wouldn't change anyway. As for the reason I came here, you know it as well as I do," she glanced at him.

She saw him many times a year. He would check on her, letting her know how the league was going, telling her recruit stories.

She gave him advice, reminded him of things he needed to focus on.

They never talked about it. But they both knew why they came to these get-togethers.

Why, in spite of them seeing each other so often, they both gravitated to this place on this exact date.

No one of the younger recruits knew. They made a point of letting each team member pass on her memory in their own way to their apprentices.

She had loved family so much. She would have loved to see hers get together on her birthday every year. To celebrate life and not mourn death. To share happy memories. To laugh.

And to remember her.

"We are all that's left," she murmured, shifting her gaze to the large glass doors leading to the balcony outside and letting her sight rest on the multi-coloured sky.

Yellow, purple, pink, light blue.

"She loved the sunset," Alex said. She felt Clark's palm in hers.

His quiet "I know" the last thing in her ears as exhaustion claimed her once again.

Clark Kent shifted in the armchair, rubbing his eyes and glancing at the clock on the wall.

The bright red analog read 4:30 AM.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, glancing at Alex.

A sudden beep in the monitor made him start.

Subconsciously his eyes moved looked up, only to freeze in place.

Outside, under a star filled dark blue sky, his cousin's apparition levitated, smiling sadly and looking at Alex's fragile form.

"Kara," he whispered.

She seemed to have heard and rested her gaze on him. She grinned.

He felt tears slip from his eyes, but wiped them hastily and got up to near the balcony doors.

Opening them, he came face to face with her.

They both stood for a few minutes, gazing at each other and taking in the sight.

"You look well," she spoke finally.

Goosebumps rose all over his arms.

"I'm sorry," he gasped, wiping more tears and sniffing.

"Clark," she chastised, "it was my choice."

Her look reminded him of what James had described when he told him in no uncertain terms that Kara didn't want interference from him all those years ago, when she first started.

"I know," he acquiesced.

A few more beats.

"How?" he asked, looking up at her.

She shrugged and shook her head.

"I don't know how it happens. It started a year ago. I just woke up levitating above National City," she said.

"But then, I found out," she glances behind him, inside the room.

He nods.

"How much longer?" he asks, although he knows the answer. He felt it the moment he saw her.

Kara shakes her head, "Not much."

As if to prove her words, the monitor flat lines. Clark rushes inside, the doctor on her heels with the pads.

All attempts for revival are futile. The doctor pats his shoulder in sympathy and he gives her a nod when she asks him if he'd like a few minutes.

He just takes in the now peaceful form of Alex Danvers. Her shoulders are relaxed. Her face clear of all troubles.

"She looks as if she's sleeping," he whispers since Kara can doubtlessly hear him.

He turns to see her closer to the balcony doors, still in levitation.

"You have to go," he guesses. She nods slowly.

She's halfway away from the balcony when he steps outside.

"Kara?"

She looks back at him.

"I miss you," he tells her.

She points to chest and for a moment he's confused. Until…

 _El mayarah. Stronger Together._

He grins tearfully at her and expects her to take off. But she doesn't.

She frowns and looks to her side and he raises an eyebrow.

A few seconds later, he's looking at the apparition of Alex Danvers, standing next to Kara.

Alex smiles at her. The most genuine smile Clark has seen her give since thirty-five years ago.

They both take off together and Clark stands there, looking until he can't see them anymore.

He has a feeling no one else will see them again.

Kara's job is done. Alex's too, for all he knows.

And as he turns to go inside, a thought crosses his mind.

 _El mayarah._

Alex might not have been a daughter of the House of El.

But she certainly was and always would be part of their family.


End file.
